


Dancin' in the moonlight (Everybody's feelin' warm and bright)

by Brain_Brainson



Series: DFD Prompt Fills [13]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Diego/Allison mentioned, Fluff without Plot, Multi, Nonbinary Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy), Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 20:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21124862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brain_Brainson/pseuds/Brain_Brainson
Summary: Five has their hand back on Ben's hip, the other clasping Ben's, eyes on him as Ben gazes down at their feet, tries to keep up with the slow rhythm Five's setting.Five looks at ease whereas Ben looks mostly nervous, clutching Five's shoulder and stumbling over his own feet once or twice.(Vanya had told him he's cute like this. Ben had stuck his tongue out at her, making her laugh. Five had hushed them both).





	Dancin' in the moonlight (Everybody's feelin' warm and bright)

**Author's Note:**

> I will forever be salty that Five doesn't get to have a normal tag even though Five Hargreeves is their name. But let's proceed. 
> 
> Prompt was: Five/Ben/Vanya - Dancing
> 
> This is what happened with it. I honestly don't know. 
> 
> Pls, still try to enjoy it.

"Five, are you sure about this?" Vanya's leaning against the wall of the training room, hands twisted as she watches on.

"Of course I am sure," Five insists, just like they did the three other times Vanya had asked. They let go of Ben's waist, raise their arm to guide him into doing a little twirl.

"Since when am I the girl?" But still, Ben lets himself be pushed into turning around. Once, twice.

For a brief second Vanya imagines them dancing like this with Five still in their 13 year old body, struggling to lead Ben around the room. 

Then again, they've been nearly taller than Ben and Vanya even back then and they definitely are now, body somewhere between 25 and 28. At least according to Five's calculations.

Vanya doesn't care either way, just as long as people stop assuming Five's her kid. 

And she definitely doesn't dislike the way she can lean against their chest now, head resting on their shoulder. Or how good it looks when Ben's in their lap, curled together over long legs and held tight by Five.

They look good like this too, slowly moving to the music streaming out of Luther's record player, borrowed - <strike>stolen</strike> \- from his room.

Five has their hand back on Ben's hip, the other clasping Ben's, eyes on him as Ben gazes down at their feet, tries to keep up with the slow rhythm Five's setting. 

Five looks at ease whereas Ben looks mostly nervous, clutching Five's shoulder and stumbling over his own feet once or twice.

(Vanya had told him he's cute like this. Ben had stuck his tongue out at her, making her laugh. Five had hushed them both).

Ben lets out a frustrated groan when he steps on Five's foot - not the first time today - and stills. 

"Remind me," he mutters, head lowering to press against Five's shoulder. Why do we have to learn dancing?"

"I can dance," Five says, matter of fact. "_You_ have to learn."

"Vanya can't dance either!"

"And that's why I still think we should take Allison up on her offer." Vanya's leaning forward a little, trying to be heard over the sound of the music still playing.

There's a flash of blue and Five's at the record player, turning it off. Ben follows them, presses up against their back.

"I hate when you do that while we're cuddling." His voice is muffled, speaking against Five's clothes.

"We weren't technically cuddling," Five argues, but tangles their fingers with Ben's where they're wrapped around their middle.

Eyes back on Vanya, they say: "And I already told you we don't need anyone's help. Especially not from a stranger."

"It's a professional dance coach. Not a _stranger._" Vanya crosses her arms. "And Klaus is going to his classes too."

"Because Allison sweet talked him into going," Five says at the same time as Ben quips: "Klaus also wants to _fuck_ the trainer."

Five turns their head. "He does?"

Ben nods once, then goes back to pressing his cheek against Five's back. "Can we take a break now?"

"We've only been here for 20 minutes!"

"Look," Vanya tries again. "It's irrelevant what Klaus wants to do with the trainer." She ignores the loud _'Fuck'_ Ben lets slip, tries to stay on topic. "He's still a qualified coach. Who could teach us some simple standard dances within a few weeks."

Five raises their chin and suddenly, they look exactly like they did back when they were 13. "I can do that too."

They had this argument before. Although it's not really an argument, it's more like Vanya's trying to have a conversation with a brick wall.

If only Five weren't so goddamn stubborn!

But she's trying to be reasonable, trying to keep her emotions in check. It's less often now, but sometimes simple things can still tick her off, still make her powers go wild.

Five seems to sense it, always so strangely attuned to Vanya's feelings, even back when they were kids and Vanya didn't have a lot of them.

They're in front of her in a heartbeat, gentle hands framing her face, tilting her chin up.

"You wanna tell me what's really bothering you, pretty?" 

In the background Vanya can hear Ben, no doubt complaining about Five moving away yet again. All those years of never being able to touch anyone seem to have made him needy. Like he's starving.

Vanya rarely minds, rather enjoys the reminder that she's wanted, that Ben actually is into her judging by all the hugs and kisses.

Five's touchy too, but ...different.

When they put a hand on her thigh, drap their arm over Ben's shoulder, it feels less like comfort, the sweet bubbling of love, building inside her stomach. It’s more...hot. 

Like they're marking their property. Like they're trying to signal_ 'Hands off'_ to anyone who dares looking at them for too long.

_ 'These ones are mine.' _

It makes Vanya feel warm, an urgent, burning kind of hotness, settling low in her gut. Between her legs. 

But Five can be tender too, always so concerned about losing them again, whether to the apocalypse or to themselves.

"Vanya? Answer me."

Ben's with them now, reaching out to take Vanya's hands in his own. But she keeps her eyes on Five, on their stern expression.

She sighs. "It's nothing bad," she says, wants to rub a hand over her face but leaves them where they are when she realises that Ben's still holding them.

"I'm just nervous I guess."

"Nervous?" Ben raises an eyebrow. Smiles at her. "You can't be worse at dancing than I am."

"It's not about the dancing." Vanya thinks for a moment. "Well, it kinda is. But not really."

"You're overthinking again." Five lightly taps a finger against Vanya's temple.

Ben scoffs. "Says the right person."

Five knocks their shoulder against Ben. "Hush." Their eyes never leave Vanya though. "What exactly do you mean?"

Vanya wouldn't be surprised if Five would start saying things like _'Use your words'_, talk to her like she's a toddler. 

She wants to be mad, wants to remind them that she's an adult and fully capable of expressing herself. 

But is she? It's still hard sometimes, so many feelings swirling inside her head, surging through her body in shivers. She's never felt so _much_ before, never felt so _alive_.

Concentrating on one emotion, finding her true intentions underneath them all...it takes time.

(She thinks she's a little like Diego in that regard. The thing she feels the most is anger, suffocating, caging her in until she explodes. Literally. 

Diego at least uses words as his outlet - sometimes knives. Vanya can be glad the room's still standing when she lets her emotions flow freely).

"Sorry," Vanya says. At this point it's like muscle memory.

"Don't be," Ben answers, just as fast. He's pulling at her hand, presses kisses to the tips of her fingers.

Vanya's blushing, she can feel the heat in her cheeks. She isn't a pretty blusher, blotchy patches of red appearing on her neck, on her throat.

She looks away. Tries to gather her words.

"It's just ...it's Allison's wedding, you know? And I- _none of us_ have been to her first one. Not even Luther." She looks at them, gaze flickering between their faces. 

"I don't wanna disappoint her."

Ben’s eyes go wide for a second, like he can’t believe what he’s hearing. "Van, I'm pretty sure you could never disappoint her. She loves you too much for that." 

Vanya raises an eyebrow. "She loves all of us." Isn’t that obvious?

Ben snorts. "You're definitely her favourite."

"I don't think-"

Five interrupts her. "You don't think she has favourites? She definitely does. Everyone has."

"I'm Luther's," Ben says, wraps an arm around Vanya. "Five is Diego's." He shrugs. "The benefits of being seen as the little sibs. I guess."

"I'm older than all of you," Five mumbles, furrows their brows.

"Yeah, yeah, old man." Ben smirks when Five shoots him a look. Vanya smiles. 

She leans a little into Ben's embrace, turns her cheek to press it into Five's palm. "Wait...and Klaus?"

"Klaus is a complete disaster." 

Vanya rolls her eyes. "I  _ meant _ ," she says, tries to look stern. "Is he considered a little sibling too? And whose favourite is he?"

"I'd say he's more of a middle child." Ben tilts his head. Thinks. "Although…"

"Anyway, we don't have time for this." Five has their usual 'no nonsense' voice, but the way they're brushing their thumb over Vanya's cheek betrays them. 

"Allison may not be able to stay mad at you, but she's definitely going to kill me if I don't manage to teach you two how to dance."

Ben leans down - more for show than a real need to, they've always been about the same height. The runt and the ordinary one. Fitting. 

His mouth brushes her ear when he talks. 

"She's even scarier now that she's pregnant."

Vanya laughs. "Yeah, tell that to Diego."

"I think he stopped breathing around her. Too afraid to accidentally upset her." Ben wiggles his eyebrows and Vanya laughs again. Giggles when Ben kisses her cheek.

"Let's just hope Marriage is gonna do all the Good movies keep promising it will." Five turns, already a few feet away from them. "C'mon Vanya. It's your turn."

Vanya walks towards them, puts her hand on their shoulder as Five wraps an arm around her waist. 

"Don't be such a pessimist," she can hear Ben say, still behind her. "They're a cute couple. Just because you dislike marriage."

"I don't need an institution somehow approving of our relationship to show how much I love both of you." Five starts moving, pulling Vanya along as they settle into a rhythm. Vanya tries her best to keep up, keeps her eyes on Five's feet.

"Romantic."

"I can buy you a ring if you want to." 

Vanya ignores Five and Ben's little quibs back and forth. She thinks she may be getting the hang of this, Five's steps easy enough to internalize quickly.

Five pulls her into a twirl, just like they did with Ben. Pulls her close while she's turning, her back against their chest.

They hold her there, swaying back and forth lightly. "Though I bet Vanya would look good in a white dress.”

And Vanya's blushing again, wriggling in Five's grip. Not enough to actually get away from them.

"What?" Five kisses her jaw, right under her ear. "You don't wanna be our pretty wife?"

She wants to. She really, really wants to. So much her heart's trying to beat out of her chest, right into her throat. 

Five's smiling against her neck, pressing little kisses into the skin. Ben's smirking too, watching them with dark eyes, one leg up against the wall. 

That won't do.

"You know," Vanya says, keeps her voice as even as possible. "Maybe I  _ would _ be a pretty wife."

Five's gripping her tighter, starts nibbling at her ear now. Ben's playing with the hem of his hoodie, presses a hand over his stomach. 

Vanya shoots him a smile, more of a smirk. "But we will never find out," she continues. "Because Ben and I have a pretty shitty dancing coach."

Five whips their head back. "Hey!"

Vanya laughs at Five's offended look. Laughs even harder when Five vanishes only to appear right in front of her, hands on their hips. 

"I am a perfect dancing coach! You two are just shitty dancers."

"Van, are you hearing what I'm hearing?" Ben's yelling, unnecessarily loud. "Our own partner! Insulting us!"

"You're spending way too much time with Klaus." Five doesn't even turn around. 

"13 years of my not-live, baby." Five can't see it but Ben still does a little bow. Winks at Vanya. 

Vanya winks back.

Five drags a hand down their face. "You two are a nauseance." 

Vanya leans closer, puts her hands on their shoulders. Makes sure she's close enough their noses brush when she talks.

"You know, you can always transfer us to the coach Allison recommended." 

Five pulls a face like they bit into a lemon. Then they sigh. "I guess."

"Student-Teacher relationships are looked down upon anyway." Ben's walking closer, hands in his hoodie pocket. Keeps walking until he's close enough he can press a kiss to Five's neck.

"Why are you so adamant on teaching us anyway?"

Five shrugs. "Why not? I learned dancing at the commission. Easier to blend into the time period if you knew some customes." 

Ben puts his chin on Five's shoulder, on top of Vanya's hand. "And?"

"And what?" Five raises an eyebrow. Crosses their arms. "That's all."

Vanya presses her lips against Five's nose, just for a second. Keeps her face close to Five's. "And?"

Five sighs. Closes their eyes. Sighs again. Vanya's about to prod some more but then Five's talking. 

"I don't want anyone touching you, okay? There's no need for that. Not when  _ I _ can help you just as good." Five's pouting, head turned away from Ben and Vanya. 

Ben cooes. "Aren't you a possessive little thing?" He wraps his arms around Five, pulls them close. Grabs Vanya's wrist when one of her hands slips down Five's shoulder.

Tugs her close too.

Five hugs her when she steps forward, pulls her in. Her stomach presses up against Ben's hands. She burrows her face into Five's neck, the side Ben left unoccupied. 

"Let me be possessive," Five says. It's muffled, Vanya's ear on Five's shoulder. 

"I've waited a long time to have you like this."

There's a little sting, right over Vanya's heart. She squeezes Five closer, kisses their neck. 

"We know," she says. She can feel Ben's hands moving, brushing against her stomach. Moving to the side, to Five’s hips. Gripping them. 

She thinks back to them at 13, at all the hushed conversations, the whispered promises. Remembers how she locked herself in her room when Five disappeared, crying her eyes out for hours, only letting Ben try and soothe her pain. 

There was no one to soothe her when she was 16. 

She slips one arm free from the tangle of bodies and limbs, reaches out blindly to grab Ben. Manages to get a hold of his hoodie. Grips it tightly, hard enough her fingers start hurting.

Ben moves his head, lifts his chin from the back of her hand to kiss it. Moves his mouth against her skin. 

“We know.”

**Author's Note:**

> In my defense, I was in a lot of pain while writing. 
> 
> Until tomorrow!


End file.
